Infinite Heavenly Song (Re-write)
by QuietWaters
Summary: The gods sought a champion in the child of prophecy, but on that fateful night twins were born. One forced to carry the soul, the other gifted with limitless power. One taken in by Orochimaru straight after birth, the other hailed as heroine of Konoha. When the gods fight and mortals clash in their name, how will the by the toads foretold end of the current world happen?


**A/N:** Welcome to the freshly revised edition of the prologue for 'Infinite Heavenly Song'. As soon as all chapters have been revised, the original ones aka first versions will be deleted. Or I let them on for the sake of showing improvement or whatever…

ATTENTION! THIS IS AN AU! I WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY STUPID COMMENTS ABOUT HOW THIS STORY STRAYS FROM CANON OR HOW OOC PEOPLE ACT! OF COURSE IT WILL HAPPEN! IT IS AN AU AFTER ALL! *le gasp*

Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy.

_The gods sought a champion in the child of prophecy, but on that fateful night twins were born. One forced to carry the soul, the other gifted with limitless power. One taken in by Orochimaru straight after birth, the other hailed as heroine of Konoha. When the gods fight and mortals clash in their name, how will the by the toads foretold end of the current world happen? Will the new one arise from blood or peace?_

**Infinite Heavenly Song**

_Prologue - Prelude to Chaos_

"_Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs - even though checkered by failure - than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.__"__ - Theodore Roosevelt_

At the beginning of all creation, eons upon eons ago, there were three beings, everyone of them a god in his own right. Or should I say three goddesses in their own right? The three women may looked human, yet their power, brimming in every cell of their bodies, made it absolutely clear that they weren't ordinary. These three goddesses would one day go by the name of Kami, Yami and Shinigami respectively.

Space and time meant nothing in the grey nexus, the bleak nothingness the plane of all creation was composed of. Centuries could pass by in the blink of an eye and nobody would notice it. Naturally it took quite some time before the goddesses became aware of themselves. This was also the moment were they started to think, grew to understand and started to realize. Of course it was only normal that now, as they perceived the reality around them and in the same breath recognized its unimportance in relation to its monotony, they turned towards each other in seeking to understand.

This was also the moment that shaped the future in more ways than just one. Kami, embodiment of all things 'good', and Yami, embodiment of all things 'evil', became attracted to each other the longer they interacted, for they were opposites in every sense of the word. As the white-haired Kami developed the feeling of love, the black-haired Yami developed in turn the possessive jealousy - and it happened what was bound to happen. The gray-haired Shinigami was left out, forgotten, almost discarded since she, as the embodiment of the end of all things, was more middle than opposite.

However, the poor woman could not flee the growing love between her sisters, could not escape but was forced to witness, for distance, space or even time meant nothing in the place they were in. So, as she couldn't turn away, she unconsciously reached out to the nothingness in her grief, shame and sadness, for she sought a place to hide, a possibility to turn away and feign ignorance to the happenings around her. Imagine her surprise when the nexus answered to her desperate call and covered her, wrapping around her body and creating by chance the predecessor of all clothing. It was not what Shinigami had intended to happen, but she was happy nonetheless - for it opened a myriad of other possibilities as she came to realize that she could shape the nothingness around her with will alone. With one last glance backwards towards her still against each other grinding sisters it was as clear as the day what she would do.

What seemed like eternity passed by, before Kami and Yami had for the moment enough of each other. Of course they wondered why they were even here in the first place, what their purpose was. As pleasant as their activities were it couldn't be the only thing that there was to do. That was when they noticed 'The Wall' - a mighty and massive thing that stretched on forever, creating a disturbance in the otherwise empty nexus. It was also the moment where they realized that their sister wasn't with them anymore. Naturally they became curios and started searching, yet they found neither hide nor hair of the missing woman. So their attention turned to the wall, but it would not budge, would not yield before them and grant the sisters access to whatever lay beyond. Of course Yami didn't take kindly to that and, unconsciously calling upon her powers, forced it to break down before them. The sight that greeted them beyond the wall was _interesting_, to say the least.

For there may was their sister Shinigami, but twice! However, right away the two goddesses noticed that the one on the right side was staring intently at the other, more impassive one. Upon closer inspection it was revealed that the one on the left side had no life in her eyes and seemed more like a hollow puppet than their sister. Kami was the first to voice her surprise, startling Shinigami. The gray-haired woman was inwardly relieved that they hadn't seen how she was secretly trying to create a copy of her sisters that would love her. This time she had, because of lacking a device to see herself with - aka a mirror -, willed the nothingness to create a copy of herself, so she could find out why exactly neither Kami nor Yami paid any kind of attention to her. Talk of small to nonexistent self-confidence.

Hard pressed to explain the situation, Shinigami settled for explaining her actions with experimenting. To her relief they bought it, but it gave her white-haired sister Kami an idea - and so the concept of creation was offered, to shape a place to their likings. Proud that she had done something worth recognizing, something to be praised and admired, the gray-haired woman wanted to be included, wanted to be part of whatever her sister was planning. She was denied and left behind, devastated. Still, she hoped, coping with everything merely because there was the slimmest of chances for a bright future for her.

But Shinigami was forced to fade into the background, her mind and resolve falling apart over countless eons. Finally, all that was left was a desperate shell, a being that offered itself for a sealing, in order to gain the approval and attention of Kami and Yami. It wasn't meant to happen. During the creation of what once would be known as the Elemental Nations, their constant manipulations of the nexus caused the appearance of a terrifying being, a thing that could only be compared to an eldritch abomination. It was given the name or, to put it more fitting, the description of 'All the World's Evils', for it feasted of everything Yami symbolized, growing stronger way too fast, threatening the balance of Yin and Yang, basically endangering all of creation.

In a long and extremely painful process, the two goddesses of Light and Darkness sealed it away into their sister. But as soon as that was finished they returned to meddling with their world, leaving Shinigami once more behind. It was the last straw for the gray-haired woman. Becoming one with the nexus, she was left alone, easy prey for the predecessor of all demons that would over countless centuries slowly but surely erode all her defenses until she would willingly turn herself over to it. Neither Kami nor Yami would notice anything - until it was too late.

Said two had in the meantime created lesser beings based on their own images - giving birth to the first humans. They had intended for their creations to worship them, and for a while they were content with just that, but then Yami had another, in her opinion brilliant idea. And so animals were brought into the world. Whilst the humans learned to live with their new "companions", some of them proved to be useful to them whilst others proved hostile and dangerous. But after a while even that turned out to be boring.

The goddesses had become company, because people had started to believe in additional or general other things than only them. Lesser gods were created whenever enough people believed in them, not that Kami or Yami minded. Despite their closeness it was a little bit lonely for just the two of them - having mostly forgotten about their other sister, Shinigami.

Again it was the black-haired Yami that had the idea to make it even more interesting. In the wake of this idea a whole new area and specie was created. Hybrids, demons for most humans, created with a part of the twin goddesses respective powers, giving them amongst other things the ability to shift shape from pure animal over hybrid to humanoid forms, and gifting them with a very long life, almost immortal in comparison to mankind, who in that time only lived around thirty years. By chance a short-living male human and an immortal female okami crossed paths. Curiosity made them stay. What happened between the two of them is not my place to tell, but it resulted in the two of them becoming friends, finally partners and ultimately mates. Of course the woman didn't want to see her mate dying in her very arms and so the human was marked, gifted with the same powers the goddesses had bestowed upon the hybrids. In turn he became capable of manipulating shape and nature.

For their bond and their capabilities they were mostly looked down upon, turning them into hermits. However, they paid their narrow-minded kin no mind. They lived happily, but it wasn't meant to last, for Kami and Yami had decided, after the incident with 'All the World's Evils', that a guardian was needed, to protect their creation. But whom should they choose? And so their eyes fell upon the strange duo one day. It was perfect - all species united in two people. Without thinking about possible consequences, they gifted the okami with power almost equal to their own, turning the one-tailed okami into a ten-tailed one, creating the Juubi.

However, the poor female couldn't really handle all this power, despite her mate helping her to the best of his capabilities. The imbalance between Yin and Yang within her was only worsened as the corrupted Shinigami made her appearance and increased the disturbance. It happened what was bound to happen when so much power was tampered with - she snapped and went on a rampage, insane, deaf to all reasoning and pleadings from her mate, uncaring for what stood in her path.

Seeing their creation about to be destroyed, Kami and Yami rallied the other gods and once more someone was gifted - this time the mate of the female that was now only known as 'The Destroyer of Worlds', a demon in every sense of the word. In a battle that would be stuff of legends for all eternity, the grieving man defeated the Juubi and became known to the world as Rikodu Sennin after he sealed his mate's body away in the sky as moon and her power and soul within himself, in hopes of purifying the taint that had corrupted her.

Gifted with his near endless lifespan, the Sennin still failed to rescue his mate and so his hate for the gods and their pompous and righteous arrogance grew. He had taken an outstanding young woman as wife, who gave birth to his only child, his son and heir. But still he stayed in heart loyal to the woman the Juubi once had been. In hopes of protecting his mate, he split her power and mad conscious in nine parts, which became the Bijuu. He may managed to clean the taint from them, but was unable to bring them back together. Still, since they were basically part of his mate, the Sennin felt the need to protect them, almost as if they were his childs - but they weren't.

On his deathbed the Rikudo gifted his mortal son with his eyes and the strength of his body and mind, giving birth to the legend of the Uzumaki clan, the predecessor of later on famous clans like the Senju or Uchiha. Meanwhile the Bijuu had grown, developing their own personalities, parting ways in seeking a purpose in life, now, that their 'father' was dead. Just that he wasn't as dead as they had thought him to be…

Unknowing of his own history a pale, black-haired man sat in his underground throne room, hidden in an underground base in the Land of Rice, pondering in silence about his plans whilst awaiting the arrival of his most trusted follower. This man was no one else than Orochimaru, rouge Sannin, hailing from Konoha and a feared legend in his own right.

Let it be said, that this man was a mystery to most humans of this world. Only four people could claim to be truly trusted by him and three of them could understand him - at least most of the time. But one may ask, who it was to be considered precious to and important for by a man as evil as the Snake Sannin?

To answer this the prior statement has to be corrected. Orochimaru is not exactly evil, he was more the kind of man living in the gray shadows of this world. But what else should or possibly could he do? It wasn't as if he had have much of a choice, even back then - everything he ever did or said had had a deeper purpose and now he was merely following the path he had set for himself. The Sannin was aware that most of his experiments had been or were inhuman, not even borderline anymore - but he didn't care.

Two things were motivating him to destroy all boundaries of humanity, to advance in unknown territory - his dream and his family. Maybe it was the wrong way to pursue his dream - a dream that would most likely change the world forever - and to protect his family, but the results he achieved were worth all the sacrifices along the way. All that mattered was that his family could look up to him, wasn't it?

For a moment his facial features scrunched in confusion, before he smiled genuine. Whoever would have witnessed the infamous Orochimaru smiling in a non-creepy way would have supposed a doppelganger.

'_I am thinking a lot about this in the last time, ain't I? But who cares, after all it is a wonder how much of an impact a single being could have on me. Without my family, the both of them, I am certain that I would have lost myself to insanity and become a real monster along this path. For that I am grateful,'_ the Sannin thought, starting to remember a time long gone. _'He's really your son, Kushina. Don't worry, I will protect him, that is the least I can do to repay what I owe you.'_

He was interrupted in his reminiscing by a impatient knock on the wooden doors that separated the throne room he was currently in from the rest of the underground base. Orochimaru was a bit startled, having not expected to see her arrive that soon, but waiting for her nonetheless, the Sannin gave the command to enter, already knowing who it would be.

As predicted, a beautiful woman, which looked to be in her early twenties or late teens, entered. Her rich, purple hair was held up in a spiky ponytail and she wore a very revealing outfit, consisting mostly of mesh clothes, a trench coat and skirt. It made Orochimaru want to kill all of those that looked at her the wrong way, because this was Matarashi Anko, one of his most precious persons and the one he considered to be his daughter in all but blood, an adopted one.

Meanwhile, in another part of the base, we find a young boy doing a marvelous job of weaving through the crowd that stood before the canteen and remaining mostly unnoticed. Those who noticed the one pressing onwards, ignoring all the chattering people around him and not caring about the queue at all, gave the blond-haired, blue-eyed boy respectful if not submissive signs of acknowledging him. He was the adopted son of their leader after all.

However, not all were aware of the boy's special status within the ranks of Otogakure. This was proven as one of the more sturdier men in the row grabbed the blond by the collar of his jacket and hoisted him upwards until they were nose to nose. "Oi, brat, who do you think you are that you can just walk in here like that?"

The child remained unfazed, having seen and heard much worse. "Uzumaki Naruto. Put me down this instant," the boy replied, but the man only laughed, drawing even more attention of the surrounding people. Still, no one was going to help the poor fool that was about to annoy the otouto of the Snake Mistress. "Why shou-" The man was silenced as Naruto raised his arms and snakes sprung forth from the sleeves, biting into the throat of his attacker.

With a painful cry the man passed out, releasing the blond whose snakes retracted back into the sleeves of their master's jacket. Straightening his posture and clothes as if nothing had happened, the Uzumaki turned to leave towards the canteen. "He is still alive, take him to Kabuto," he called out and then he was gone. Two Oto-Shinobi grabbed the poisoned and paralyzed guy and started dragging him towards the infirmary whilst another was already on the way to inform Orochimaru's personal medic.

Having finally arrived at his destination, Naruto paid most of the eating men and women no mind. His eyes locked on a specific corner, where normally only the upper echelon sat, sometimes even Orochimaru. The desks were currently deserted, save for one where two people sat one wouldn't really associate with the higher-ups of the Snake Sannin's forces. However, their position at the Uzumaki's side granted them some privileges.

As the blond approached the two slightly older boys, he was noticed and one of them, heavily bandaged, waved towards him, showing the strange gauntlet on his arm. These two were Zaku Abumi and Dosu Kinuta, Naruto's friends, sparring partners and schoolfellows, if one could call them that considering Oto's way of education.

The latter of the two, Dosu, was the one with the gauntlet on his right arm. It was a sort of amplifier that allowed him to perform most of his techniques. The Uzumaki knew that save for his left eye, all of the Kinuta's body was covered in bandages after being terribly burned as the house of his family was razed to the ground by bandits, just like the rest of the town after they finished raiding it. The worst was that a couple of Konoha Shinobi had just passed through on the way to their mission and completely ignored their desperate need for help. It was something Dosu would never forget. The boy also wore a somewhat too large poncho with extra long sleeves, mostly to cover up all the bandages, a snake patterned scarf around his neck to show his loyalty to Orochimaru and had attached a straw raincoat at the back of his scarf.

Zaku Abumi was wearing the same scarf as his teammate, also to show his loyalty to the Snake Sannin. Like always he had his beige shirt on, sporting two black stripes and three times the kanji for death on the front. His dark, somewhat blackish-blue hair spiked upwards, defying gravity. He had discarded his forehead protector for the time being, so he lacked the normally attached happuri that was under the cloth. Since his hands were occupied with cutlery, no one saw the hollow air tubes that had been placed into the length of his arms.

Taking a seat at the table, they shared some pleasantries, joked about the new recruits, poked fun at some of the older members and had a good time in general. Finally Naruto cut to the reason for him being here. "Listen guys, I am looking for Tayuya and Kin. Kimimaro said that he had seen you two and Kin going to the canteen. Now here I am, but she isn't. Do you know where the two are?" Exchanging a glance that contained subdued jealousy about the blond being such a lucky guy without even knowing, Zaku answered for the two of them. "Well, Kin left a while ago. She said that she and Tayuya wanted to meet at their quarter. That's all we know." The Uzumaki nodded, already on the move again. "Thanks guys, later!"

Behind his retreating back, Dosu nudged his comrade. "I think we really should ask him how he does it." The spiky-haired male could only nod.

It took the blond quiet a while to find his way from the canteen towards the rooms his two female friends shared. It was Orochimaru's main and oldest base after all, therefore its size was tremendous. Knocking at the door, he only had to wait a short moment before it was opened and Kin poked her head through the gap, searching for the one who had interrupted her studies. She was a beautiful girl, with long black hair that already reached her waist and deep, black, innocent looking eyes that hid how cruel she could be should the need arise. Being one year older than Naruto her budding body already showed what a beauty she would be later on. Not that she cared what others thought, considering her extreme crush on the Uzumaki.

"Hey Kin-chan!" As said blond smiled broadly at her, his eyes gaining that special foxy glint, the girl couldn't help but blush, opening the door to allow her friend entrance - only to be engulfed in a big hug as the door closed behind them. For a short moment, merely a heartbeat, Kin stiffened, before sighing in content and snuggling deeper into the embrace, returning the gesture. She knew she was a bit clingy, but as long as Naruto didn't mind everything was fine. She didn't want to lose him, after all. Witnessing the looks from many of the girls and sometimes even women, was enough to fuel that fear, even at such a young age.

The Uzumaki was kind, caring and helpful to those he considered precious. Whenever she needed help, he was the one she could turn to. If people harassed her, he would beat them up, no questions asked. When she needed something, the blond tried his hardest to give it to her. Not to mention that he was always warm, that she felt safe when he was near and sometimes she would kill to just lay down and cuddle with him. Oddly enough, she even liked the way he smelled, like a clearing in the forest after raining. He was there for her, like an immovable presence, always waiting, never out of reach.

Kin Tsuchi knew she was probably way too young for something like this in the eyes of normal people, but she didn't care. She knew that she didn't have a crush but felt genuine love for the blue-eyed boy. In this world there was no real time for childhood, the people aged much faster in mind. And then there was the matter of these little, orange books she had read and was still reading…

But whenever it came to her feelings, she just felt so goddamn shy, it was infuriating. But she feared to jeopardize the bond she already had, she didn't want to be left with nothing after her confession. And so she forced these thoughts deeper into her mind, before tilting her head to look expectantly at the one she loved. "Ne, Naruto-kun, what do you need?" Before these big, innocent eyes the Uzumaki found his resolve to find Tayuya crumbling. He didn't know why, but neither Kin nor the redhead he could deny anything, practically turning to jelly in their presence.

It was so unlike his normal, confident, stubborn and sometimes nonchalant behavior that he had gone to the three adults he cherished the most. Sadly, Orochimaru, having little to none idea about young love himself, was just as lost as him. Thus, the blond turned to his sister. Maybe it was a mistake, because she was the one to give said little, orange books to both females, suggesting that they might need this a bit later on. Tayuya didn't want them, but Kin's reaction was another story entirely. Naruto never learned about this, because said woman had merely patted him on the head, before going off to cackle like mad. Quite frankly, he still didn't get what it was that his sister considered so damn funny. Thus, the Uzumaki turned to Kabuto, but the gray-haired medic had merely pushed his glasses up, chuckled about some sort of joke the blond didn't get and then told him that he would understand it on his own in time, not to mention that it wasn't his place to solve that mystery.

And so, as Orochimaru was talking with his most trusted follower about the usual and more unusual stuff, the two children spent some quality time together. But ultimately Naruto had to leave, he needed to find Tayuya after all. Kin send him to one of the smaller training areas on the surface, the one specially reserved for the Sound Four, the people that were trained and raised to be the Snake Sannin's personal guard one day. She also told him that the redhead wanted to practice her skills with the art of illusion, so he should be wary of his surroundings.

Thus, a few minutes later, we find Naruto approaching the guardian squad that, as the name implied, was one of the groups that guarded the secret entrances to the Snake Sannin's base. Exchanging a few quick words with their leader the blond was free to leave as he pleased - patrols were still out so the possibility of someone trying to move against him in order to cripple Orochimaru was low, not that it hadn't happened before. But now things were different and everyone had learned from past mistakes - especially considering what they would have nearly lost.

And so the Uzumaki found himself on the surface, in the light, once more in the last few days. The surrounding scenery was just as he remembered - a lot of massive, old and giant trees, shadowing most if not all of the ground below. Wandering to the secluded training ground of the Sound Four, who were actually the Sound Five, but their leader always trained with Orochimaru since the Sannin had to keep an eye on the Kaguya's sickness, Naruto noticed a few of the many patrols and stationary scouts, waving to the most of them. Some of the more inexperienced and even one or two of the ones that already knew his antics stiffened, causing a smug smirk to cross his lips. Thanks to his _special_ condition nothing could hide from him in a forest.

Finally, after making fun of some more of the guards in an almost disturbingly cheerful manner, his mindset thankfully being a whole other story, the blond arrived at his destination - a fairly big clearing, that was usually dominated by three massive foundlings. Naruto had heard the fading sounds of Tayuya's flute, so he assumed she had finished whatever she was doing - imagine his surprise when he entered the area, only to find it absolutely devastated. Two of the boulders were reduced to little more than rubble, scattered all across the clearing. The third was split in half, multiple cracks running along its surface. Hell, some of the trees looked as if they were about to collapse.

The Uzumaki smiled from the sidelines as his eyes fell upon the redhead that stood in the middle of the destruction, shoulders rising and falling in her exhausted state. _'I knew it was a good idea to give her that summoning contract I found in father's library. She can put it to way better use,'_ he thought, knowing what must have transpired to leave the area in such a messy state. Naruto moved towards the redhead, taking one step, raising his hand in greeting and his mouth opening to call out to her - only to freeze, as Tayuya, who obviously hadn't noticed his approach, raised the flute once more to her lips.

_(The following part has been inspired by the OST 'Flowers in a Riot of Colour' from Chen Yue. I suggest you listen to it to get a feel for the following scene. Take your time, it will be worth it. And I say that as Metal fan…)_

The Uzumaki prepared himself for an illusion that never came. The redhead took a deep breath, before drawing the first sounds from her instrument. Her eyes were closed, nimble fingers dancing across the smooth surface of her flute, never freezing, never halting, never stopping to bring forth note upon note. Handling the instrument in the way only a master could, Tayuya poured all of her emotions in that one song, letting her flute tell what she could not express.

Naruto stood frozen to his spot, eyes wide and mouth agape. He could only stare on, captivated by the side the redhead only rarely showed. He watched her move, looking so at ease and calm, her expression peaceful. The boy understood on a subconscious level that this was a moment he should never ever dare to forget. A small gust went across the clearing, picking up fallen leaves and small twigs, playing with Tayuya's hair, but the girl remained unfazed, concentrating solely on her flute, her surroundings of no matter.

To the blond she looked like a goddess and the Uzumaki felt an unknown ache, a longing in his heart he had never experienced before. He found that the rise and fall of the melody she weaved mirrored his momentary feelings, expressing her mourning and longing for something, _someone_, to cure the ache she felt. It was outstanding, could not be described by any word Naruto knew. A part of him wanted to weep, such was the beauty of the song, the amount of raw emotion the redhead put in every single note. Another part was placated, as the melody touched his very soul, spending peace and serenity despite its sad character. But the biggest part of him wanted to cross what distance was left between them, embrace her, hold her close and show her that _he_ was the one to be there for her, that he would do anything to make her happy.

This internal rift rooted him to his place, listening to everything Tayuya expressed through her flute. Finally, much earlier than he would have liked, the last note was drawn from the instrument, the sound fading, leaving behind a sense of loss. Getting his thoughts somewhat back on track, the blond could only mutter one word under his breath. "Beautiful."

He never expected her to hear it, but the wind carried his exclamation to her and she spun around, wide-eyed, clearly surprised and shocked that somehow had witnessed this intimate moment where she opened herself. Anger was building up inside her, ready to crush the intruder - only to realize it was Naruto and her face flushed even more. Of course with anger. What else? Someone like her couldn't be embarrassed by a boy two years her junior… at least that is what she told herself in that moment.

As Naruto and Tayuya were busy with their own problems, Orochimaru and Anko had finally reached the true reason of their meeting - they were the leader and co-leader of Oto respectively, so they had needed quite some time to get the things regarding their responsibilities done.

With an almost annoyed sigh, the Snake Sannin buried his face in his hands, showing his exhaustion only because he was with someone he could fully confide in - the woman he considered his daughter. Raising his head, their eyes met and only seriousness was etched into Orochimaru's features. "How is your seal doing? Does it still hurt?" The concern in his voice was evident.

Some days ago he had changed the very prototype of the Cursed Seal he had once given his first student, so that she would now be able to achieve the second level of said seal, just like his other more trusted servants and the ones he was raising to be his elite bodyguards. To make this possible for her, he had studied his own work a long time, to find a way to override his previous mark without hurting Anko, at least not to much, considering that she was extremely tough. But he didn't want her to die, therefore he put an insane amount of effort into it, sometimes even neglecting to sleep or eat just because he had found a new lead. In such times it had taken the combined effort of his family to ensure that he didn't kill himself in the process.

"Don't worry, Orochimaru-sensei, the medication you gave me is working and I think, when everything continues as planned, I will be able to access stage two in around three months time," the purple-haired woman stated confidently, unconsciously moving her hand to scratch her shoulder were said mark was hidden underneath the clothes.

The Snake Sannin nodded, pleased that Anko seemed to be alright. Still, he and Kabuto would perform another test just to be sure. Considering her importance to him, he was not willing to risk anything. "Very well, but that will not be possible in a way you may think," Orochimaru said, confusing the woman for a moment. She was aware that the ascension to level two could be delayed, but she didn't understand why there was a need for that. However, the next statement of the man she considered a father was what explained everything.

"I have finally come to a sufficient decision regarding that _special_ topic we have been talking about these years. I think it is safe to say that step one is completed and we can now advance to step two of the operation. Please bring Tayuya and my son to me, I will explain everything in detail upon your return," he said and understanding dawned in Anko's eyes. With a bow she left to complete her newly appointed task, leaving behind a bothered Snake Sannin that cursed himself. _'__I can't stop thinking of him as my blood, even if I only adopted him and he will always be Kushina_'_s son. I just hope no Konoha spy will ever hear of this or it could become the downfall of us all.__'_

Knowing that the purple-haired woman would most likely need a few minutes to find the probably training children, Orochimaru awaited their arrival in the impassive demeanor he was famous for. Just because his body didn't move didn't mean that his mind wasn't running. After all, he was about to make a very big, influencing and dangerous decision, one that would without doubt endanger the ones he considered precious if not sentencing them to death if things got out of hand - but he would do everything in his might in order to prevent that from happening, even if it meant laying waste to the entire known world or resulting in his own death.

At long last there was another knock on the doors, signalizing Anko's return since the Sannin had explicitly stated that he wouldn't take kindly to being disturbed this day. As long as there was no attack force they would have to go to Kabuto, the third in command, with all their little problems. Once more Orochimaru gave the command to enter, only that it were three people that answered his call this time.

Following the order of their superior, Anko was the first one to enter, the redhead, who had a scowl on her features that screamed business, coming in second and Naruto trailing in a bit behind them, arms locked behind his head and with a nonchalant attitude, despite him dying inwardly out of curiosity. Whilst the purple-haired woman bowed low at the waist, showing her respect - even if he was technically her father -, Tayuya dropped on her knees, submissive in front of her superior, the man that had given her shelter, food and finally power, but most importantly a home and people like her whom she could call friends.

Naruto merely grinned, tilting his head in greeting. Seeing such blatant disrespect, even when it came from the son of the Sannin, was bound to irk the redhead. "Goddammit, show some fucking respect to Orochimaru-sama, shithead," she hissed, hitting the blond with her fist to get her point across. It also gave her satisfaction, since it was one of the many things she would do in order to get over the embarrassment Naruto had given her earlier. Not that she would seriously hurt or maim the blond, but she couldn't let him escape unpunished.

"I can understand your anger Tayuya, but please refrain from hitting my son as long it isn't absolutely necessary," the Snake Sannin requested, before fixing the Uzumaki in question with a scathing glare. "You know, Naruto, I truly wouldn't mind you showing some respect." That, in combination with his voice, was enough to make the blond realize that now was not the time to joke around. As he straightened and his features turned serious, Orochimaru nodded approvingly, satisfied, before turning all business himself.

"What I am about to reveal to you is something that will change the life of all of us for all eternity. I have an assignment for you, a mission that is so dangerous that one wrong step would put you in a place worse than hell, before you will eventually be allowed to die a slow, excruciatingly painful death as hollow ghost of your former self, after being used for whatever they have in mind. Upon this mission you will face odds like you have never seen before and it will be five long years that you will need to fulfill the tasks I have in mind for you," the Snake Sannin elaborated, shocking the children since Anko already knew what this was all about. Still, even she was a bit surprised by what her father had said.

"It is a high-profile, undercover mission that cannot even be classified as S-Rank anymore," here he paused once more, before sighing and drawing a deep, almost dramatic, breath. "You are to infiltrate and sabotage Konohagakure no Sato from within."

Shocked, stupefied silence reigned as Naruto and Tayuya gaped like fishes out of water, their eyes wide. But they wouldn't have been under Orochimaru's command if they were taken out of the game by something like that. Seeing them regain their composure and the gears turning in their heads, the Snake Sannin raised a hand to forestall the questions they would without doubt pose. "Let me explain my plan before you ask whatever you want to know."

"In order to make it believable and fool these idiotic tree-huggers, you need a proper, dramatic background story, so that the Sandaime the old, pathetic fool, will have no choice but to follow his heart and that 'Will of Fire' propaganda of his. Especially, if you fake a few tears here and there and act like someone scared the living daylights out of you. But we have to force him a corner where his mind can come to only one conclusion. Therefore, I have planned something big," he elaborated, the full attention of all present on him.

"Do you know of the small farmers town Okawa, situated in Hi no Kuni and at the border to the country that will soon be ours?" As Orochimaru gained confirming, despite of being confused because of the sudden change of topic, nods, he continued his explanation. "You will act as if you just managed to flee my cruel, sadistic and inhuman experiments, escaping from a base you cannot remember the exact location of and by mere chance you happened to find Okawa, hoping that there would be shelter and protection."

"Considering the weather in these last days we are expecting storm and rain for this night. It will help to give you cover and make it easier to 'flee'. However, upon you arriving in the town, Kabuto will give a strike force a signal which will then reduce the whole village to little more than ash. Considering I have roughly ten percent of all bandits in the whole Fire country under my thumb, you will have to face and kill a few of the strike force. My Shinobi under Kimimaro have been informed to leave you alone and I don't particularly care about a few thugs. Aside from supporting your mission, will this also allow us to cripple Konoha's economy in preparation for the grand finale. Whilst the strike force destroys Okawa, you will flee again and try to contact any kind of Konoha Shinobi you come across. Your main objective is to reach the Leaf itself," here he halted his explanation, waiting for them to catch up and understand.

"Get to their leader as fast as possible and present him your story. Don't forget to add the angst, the drama and the tears. The weak, bleeding heart of the foolish Sandaime will do the rest for you. As soon as he welcomed you with open arms, you will have to ready the daggers. Each one of you has been appointed to a special task," Orochimaru said, his distaste for the man he once called sensei obvious.

Then he pointed at the purple-haired woman. "Anko is already well-aware of her role, but I will tell you two of it nonetheless. She is to become at least tokubetsu jonin and get a position in the torture and interrogation department. There she will gather as much valuable information as possible, for example the relationship of other countries between each other and the Leaf. She will also try to sway prisoners and missing-nin to our cause. This will be very important for future operations."

As the Snake Sannin's gaze fell upon the two children, they straightened subconsciously. "Naruto and Tayuya, you two will be given special assignments as well, however, there is a task both of you have to fulfill. I am extremely proud to be able to call you Shinobi of Oto, yet this means nothing in Konoha. Therefore you are forced to attend the Academy in Konoha, naturally only to uphold your disguises. I don't care how you intend to finish the Academy, as long as you graduate. Anko will then take you two on as apprentices. Your ultimate goal is to participate in the Chunin Exams hosted by Konoha in five years. Considering that because of the 'peace' you cannot advance to Chunin before turning fifteen and having at least three years of experience under your belt, we will have plenty of time to stay in contact between missions and vacation. If anything unexpected comes up, tell it Kabuto and he will relay it to me."

Fixing solely on the redhead, who grew a bit uncomfortable under the piercing, scrutinizing and almost searching gaze, Orochimaru noted how his son placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder, who allowed the contact for a short moment, her cheeks gaining a light pink tinge, before she shrugged Naruto's hand off. The Snake Sannin was inwardly satisfied. It seemed he had made the right decision, after all. "Hokumon no Tayuya (Tayuya of the North Gate)!" Being addressed by her full title made her stiffen even more, if that was even possible.

"As a member of the Sound Four, you will have to hide your true skill level from everyone, be it instructor, fellow classmates or civilians, not to mention Shinobi in general. However, that is not what your missions entails. I know that you are two years older than Naruto, nonetheless you will go to the same class. That means less swearing and more immaturity. Your primary task is too ensure that no suspicion arises against yourself. In order to enable that you will have to gain as much 'friends' as possible. The purpose behind this is to gather as much information as possible about the potential of all clans and the future generation. This is also very important for our future operations. Your secondary task is to protect my son at all costs without blowing your cover. This part of your assignment can only truly be fulfilled when you have finished the Academy, for obvious reasons," Orochimaru elaborated.

Now only the Uzumaki was left. The Snake Sannin draw a deep breath, the other assembled holding theirs, even Anko since she didn't know the full extent of what her father had planned regarding her otouto. Not to mention that there was this tiny bit dread she felt in returning to that hellhole that had shunned her most of her live, despite Orochimaru doing his best. Not that it mattered now to her, but when they had acted like that to her, who could predict what they would do when the blond's secret got out? Thus nervousness started to get the better of her, but only inwardly. She was too well-trained to show it outwardly.

"Naruto, I don't care how exactly you do it - that means you can cloask, henge or camouflage yourself as you see fit, yet don't kill unless absolutely necessary - but you will investigate Konoha's whole structure, from the sewer system of the canalization over secret entrances and tunnels to the walls and monument. Create a detailed map and then pay close attention to the ANBU patrols, stationary guards, their pattern, the system behind the change of pattern and any other kind of defense. Gather as much information as possible and add it to your map. You have to guard the original with your life, therefore you should seal it into yourself. Create a copy as soon as you are finished and give it to Kabuto."

Once more there was silence, the Snake Sannin waging an internal battle. Seeing their leader busy with himself gave the three of them some time to think about the set objectives and possible questions related to them. So far there was no problem for the Mitarashi, yet her facial features were set in a slight frown. There was something Orochimaru wasn't telling, that much was sure. Considering that it, without doubt, concerned Naruto was quite unsettling. It wasn't a matter of trust, but a question of safety.

Tayuya was quite troubled and failed to completely hide it. Not only was this an extremely dangerous mission, especially since they were accomplishing it straight under the nose of the enemy, but also because she had to uphold an act for who knows long. Being nice to some spoiled, stuck-up brats who hadn't seen the cruelty of this world and still dreamed their childish dreams, was definitely not something she was looking forward to. Making friends with them? She dreaded it, considering that she only called people like Anko, Kin and Naruto, maybe even the rest of the Sound Four, friends, because they had witnessed the same as she, had suffered like her - they understood and respected each other. Then there was the matter of her leader trusting her with the safety of his son and it left her quite… _something_ inside, she couldn't really explain it.

The Uzumaki's features were set in stone, even his gaze expressionless. His gut told him that there was more to it, that his father wasn't finished and that he wouldn't really like what was to come. Yet he was a proud Shinobi of Oto, there was no way that he would back down and give up. And his suspicion was proven right as the Snake Sannin continued his explanation. "However, that is not all, Naruto, but we will talk in private about that. All that is left for now is the matter of disguising yourself. Anko cannot use any of that, but you two are free to ask Kabuto for everything we have in store. Son, you should do the full program, considering who you are. A last, quick word of advise; stay clear of Danzo, the council and their deals. Any questions left?"

The three future infiltrators were thinking hard and Orochimaru was patient and understanding enough to give them their time. The purple-haired Mitarashi was the first to shake her head, the Uzumaki following closely behind since his father wanted to talk with him anyway, but the redhead had trouble summoning her courage. However, her hesitation made it just more obvious for the Snake Sannin. "Tayuya, what do you want? Speak freely," he said, having his own thoughts about what was happening in her head.

She swallowed hard, before replying. "Orochimaru-sama, with all due respect, why have you chosen me not only as infiltrator but also bodyguard?" _'Just as I expected,'_ the Sannin thought, before answering. "Do not doubt yourself, Tayuya, ever. You have proven yourself and your worth countless times to me, shown that you are a proud Kunoichi of Oto. I have seen you act and know that your mind is ready for something like this, you know how to use all aspects to get what you want. I am sure your skills will only grow in time," he declared, before a somewhat mischievous glint entered his eyes. "That, and I am sure that you wouldn't allow someone else to harm Naruto-_kun_, right?"

Teasing his poor subordinate in a good-hearted manner, Orochimaru knew that he was right, especially since the girl flushed madly. But it was time, so he stopped chuckling. "The operation will commence at sunset. You are dismissed, find Kabuto and get your equipment ready. Oh, and don't forget to train whenever possible and you have no witnesses." With a bow Anko and the still fidgeting redhead left. Tayuya could only wonder, why was it so easy for others to see it and yet the blond remained oblivious? Then the doors closed behind them and only father and son remained.

There was a silence as they stared at each other, contemplating, wondering. Finally, Naruto's features hardened. "Namikaze and Uchiha, right?" The Snake Sannin sighed and nodded. They were out of options. "Yes, my son, I want you to find out as much as you can about how Kyuubi-san reacts to the presence of her power and how it affects your sis-" Before he could finish his sentence the Uzumaki interrupted him, eyes flashing and hands balled to fist. "Don't call her _that_, father, this honor belongs to Anko, and only her alone."

Ah yes, that topic was a very, very sore one for the young blond, to know that his _sister_ Naruko was hailed as the heroine she wasn't even in the first place while he was left to suffer, discarded like a tool no longer needed - straight after his birth! Sure, no one knew that Kyuubi was actually quite friendly, if not a bit stuck-up and proud, but that didn't change the fact of what they had done to him.

The boy was also aware why he needed to keep an eye on the Uchiha - the Sannin had a dream after all, and in order to gain more knowledge than thought possible, the Sharingan were simply necessary. The immortality problem had been solved for the time being with his technique to take over other bodies or regenerate himself like a snake, combined with a blood sample of the Uzumaki to increase the duration of his inhabitation of other bodies to five years, instead of the former three.

Calming down, Naruto apologized for his outburst, but Orochimaru merely waved it away - he could understand him, after all. What followed was a long and detailed explanation of Sarutobi's, Jiraiya's and Tsunade's mindset, which the boy would need when they found out about his tenant. It was after all only a question of time, considering who they were talking about. There were risks that needed to be taken for the grander scheme, yet damage control was necessary. The Snake Sannin had already thought about the perfect background for why this was the case. After all, he knew something his former team did not.

At long last, they came to an end. Orochimaru may couldn't express his emotions very well through words, but his actions could speak for them. "Naruto, I know you are ready for that. I have faith in you. But please, stay safe. Do it for your friends, for Anko, for me and for your mother." The blond merely smiled lightly, the features of his father telling more than all his words combined. "Don't worry, I don't fear what is to come. You told me a great man once said; far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs - even though checkered by failure - than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. What we will achieve with this is worth every sacrifice along the way and it is the least I can do to repay all you have done for me in these years, tou-san. Your dreams are mine," he declared, completely believing in his own words.

Swallowing, Orochimaru nodded in acceptance of what the blond had said. "Then it is decided. Farewell and good luck, Uzumaki Naruto, my son." Bowing low, said boy turned to leave, his eyes sat on the large double doors. He could feel the gaze of Orochimaru on his back, but right now his mind was fixed upon other things. Slowly, carefully, he opened the mental link with his tenant, established a long time ago. _'Kyuubi-san, are you awake?'_

Barely a heartbeat had passed, then came the reply. _**'Of course I am, child of man. What do you want?'**_ There was no hesitation from Naruto's side. _'Have you heard everything? What do you think? Will it work?'_ It was obvious for the Bijuu that he was referring to the one that was his relative. _**'I am aware of all that is planned. This is quite ingenious, I have to admit your father is quite cunning.'**_ There was a short pause, before Kyuubi gave the final statement. _**'It will work. It is time to take back what is rightfully mine and not even the workings of the Shinigami will prevent it from happening.'**_

Satisfied, the Uzumaki closed the doors behind him, a soft farewell on his lips.

Standing outside of the throne room, the blond allowed himself to breathe deeply, getting his hammering heart back under control. Now that he didn't need to impress his father for the moment, he could allow himself some weakness. He was shaking a bit - despite his prior calm demeanor, this was still quite the assignment ahead of him. The threat of death was present and it scared him. There had been close calls with the grim reaper before, but not for such an extended period of time. Then there was the matter of the villagers - Naruto knew what would await him if they found out, if someone let his secret slip when his father's former team learned of it. He was proud and he didn't know if he could take all the hate of a village, before snapping and blowing them all to hell. For all his combat prowess he still doubted himself when it came to such matters. Lost in his thoughts, he failed to notice the approach of the one who had waited for him.

"Oi, Naruto, you alright? Come on, it's just that pathetic bitch you have to call sister and her mindless minions. They have got nothing us," boasting this, she masked the genuine worry she felt for the Uzumaki. "Yeah, thanks, it's okay, no need worry. But what about you Tayuya-chan? Remember, you are the one who has to deal with all these stupid brats," replied Naruto, smiling despite his inner turmoil.

The redhead's first reply was an annoyed huff, before she crossed her arms over her chest. Her cheeks flushing with, _of course_, anger at the affectionate suffix. "Tche, as if some children could get the drop on me. Of course I will be fine," she answered. Then, as an afterthought she added something else. "What was it that I told you about sticking that '-chan' to my name, shithead?" Adopting a threatening posture, she hoped to get her point across. He should really stop making her feel that mushy inside, goddammit, Kin loved him, after all. But seeing him not even flinch, she gave another, even more annoyed huff. "Just come on and move your lazy ass, Kabuto is waiting and I want to get this started and over with."

Saying this, the only female member of the Sound Four turned around and walked away. Watching his friend vanishing around the next corner, Naruto moved to follow her, but could not help but remember what events had led up to all of this…

_**Mission Report #XXX, Update**_

_Operation 'Snake Bite'_

_Status: Commenced at 2300 hours, Phase Two initiated_

_Operatives: 3_

_**Mitarashi Anko**_

_Codename "Viper"_

_Status: alive_

_Occupation: T&I_

_Skills: classified_

_Further information: classified_

_**Tayuya**_

_Codename "Siren"_

_Status: alive_

_Occupation: Infiltrator_

_Skills: classified_

_Further information: classified_

_**Uzumaki Naruto**_

_Codename "Maelstrom"_

_Status: alive_

_Occupation: Crippler_

_Skills: classified_

_Further information: classified_

_**Report End**_

_Note: Next report update expected in two days_

**A/N:** Well, what do you think? I really would appreciate it if you could state your opinion via review or PM since it will influence the further revision of this story.

**PS:** We have a big, important and expensive project approaching at work, that will most likely consume a lot of my time for the duration of the middle of July to the end of August. Hell, I barely managed to squeeze this one in between my preparations. It is very likely that during this time I will not manage to write anything. I apologize in advance, but I need to earn my living.


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